Rahul Gandhi travels in Shatabdi chair car to Ludhiana

Taking a lead from his mother and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in practising austerity, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday travelled to Ludhiana in the chair car of Shatabdi Express.

A day after his mother flew to Mumbai in the economy class, Rahul boarded the train on Tuesday morning from the New Delhi Railway Station to travel to the northern industrial city.

Rahul refused to accept flowers presented to him at the station, saying it was the privilege of the executive class passengers and also demanded that he be served water in a plastic cup like other passengers.

Passengers travelling by the train were elated to know that the young leader was travelling with them.

The AICC general secretary will return to the national capital by the same train in the evening.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who was behind the decision to ask two ministers S M Krishna and Shashi Tharoor to move to modest accommodation from their five-star dwelling afer a media expose, on Monday flew to Mumbai in a commercial flight in an ordinary class seat to participate in a party function in the financial hub.